Panthers Lose Kulikov for Season - Finger Fracture

Dmitry Kulikov's tough-nosed game catches up to him at the worst possible time, as the Panthers defenseman breaks a finger and sits out the rest of the season. Florida's blue line takes another hit just when they're grinding through the stretch run, forcing coach Paul Maurice to shuffle pairings with guys like Ekblad and Forsling logging heavy minutes. This injury tests the depth Zito built for a Cup repeat, and every shift counts with the Atlantic Division still up for grabs.